Istanbul Modern's 'Cinema' welcomes Locarno Film Festival triumphs
A still shot from "Yannick" by Quentin Dupieux. (Photo courtesy of Istanbul Modern)


Istanbul Modern's Cinema is set to host the Locarno Film Festival, one of the oldest and most distinguished film festivals worldwide as the event will feature a carefully curated selection of 10 films, including award-winning gems from this year's Locarno Film Festival.

Müge Turan, the curator of Istanbul Modern's Cinema, expressed her enthusiasm for the event. She highlighted the significance of the Locarno Film Festival, known for its unique style and events, which celebrated its 76th anniversary last summer.

"Every year, in August, the Locarno Film Festival hosts impressive films. In preparing the selection, we prioritized bringing award-winning films from young filmmakers from different geographies to Turkish audiences," Turan stated.

A still shot from "Guardians of the Formula" by Dragan Bjelogrlic. (Photo courtesy of Istanbul Modern)

The lineup includes notable films making their Turkish premiere, such as "Critical Zone" by Iranian director Ali Ahmadzadeh, winner of this year's Golden Leopard, despite facing a travel ban outside Iran. Also featured is "Yannick," the latest creation by the extraordinary French director Quentin Dupieux, selected as the "Best European Film," and "Stepne" by Ukrainian director Maryna Vroda, recipient of the "Best Director" award at the festival.

One of the highlights is "Guardians of the Formula," a film delving into the historical intersection between medicine and nuclear sciences in the 1950s Belgrade. Dragan Bjelogrlic, the director of the film and a renowned actor in Serbian cinema, will be present in Istanbul to engage with cinema enthusiasts as part of the program.